Controlling apparatus for air-pressure systems for pumps



A. F. HABENICHT CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR AIR PRESSURE SYSTEMS FOR PUMPS Filed Feb. 23. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1' Qtt. 7 1924. 1,511,034

' A. F. HABENICHT CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR AIR PRESSURE SYSTEMS FOR PUMPS Filed Feb. 25. 1923 :s Sheets--Sheet 2 x. I o

a I &0 o 160 N64 66 66 2 In II: 7 41 23 46 Oct. 7 1924. 1,511,034

7 F. HABENICHT cowmonun AQPARATUS FOR AIR imE'ssuRE SYSTEMS FOR PUMPS Filed Fab.- 23. 1923 s sheets sneeg'i v IIII l w mm Patented Got. 7, 1924.

UNITE; sTAs AUGUST r. HABENIGHT, OF'TINLEY PARK, ILLINOIS.

T ig 1 Application filed February 23, 1923. Serial No. 620,820.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST F. HABE- NIGHT, .a citizen of the United States, residing at Tinley Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Apparatus for Air-Pressure Systems for Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is somewhatsimilar tothat disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,449,396, issued to me on March 27, 1923, for a like apparatus, and embodies improvements over the structure set forth in said application, as well as improvements in air pumping apparatus generally.

My present application, like the above mentioned co-pending application, while being more particularly intended for use in pumping water from earth wells and cisterns, yet is applicable for use in pumping water or liquids from various kinds of con tainers, whether located above ground or below thesame, and has for its principal object to provide aypneumatically operated pumping apparatus which shall be automatic and eflicient in its operation, simple and inexpensive in construction and installation, strong, durable, and with its parts so constructed and arranged as to be easily accessible for changes and repair.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the following description and explanation. The invention will be explained andmore readily understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which one embodiment. of which the invention is susceptible, is disclosed, it being obvious that changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the appended claims forming a part hereof. In the drawinga I Fig. 1 is a general or diagrammatic view of the apparatus, showing it installed in connection with an earth well, with its parts in their operative position for forcing or pumping water from the well.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged viewv partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 2-2 of Fig.v 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing certain parts of the apparatus mounted on a suitable support therefor, and the positions illustrated in Fig. 1.

posed.

Fig. 3 is a view of like partsinsimilar p ositions looking in the direction of, thepressure controlling cylinder mounted on "the said support but with the. support inter- F 'ig. 4 is a similarview to F 2 but Show mg by continuous lines about the positions the parts will occuppywhen air pressure is shutoff from the source of supply, and is beingexhausted from the within the well; t

Fig. 5 isa greatly enlarged sectional view of a diaphragm and, its casing, used in con} nection with the apparatus.

air tank located Fig. 6 is a greatly enlargedviewof an ad.

justable needle valve taken on line 66 of Fig.2,and j Fig. 7 is a view of a modified form of the means for connecting the weights of the apparatus. j K Corresponding numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the'different views of the drawings. V

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the reference numeral 10 designates a water. or liquid container such as a well,lin which is suspended so as to preferably be entirelyfsubmerged' in the water 11 oflsaid container,ja tank 12 which is hermetically sealed except at its [bottom or lower portion,in which isprovided aport or opening 13 having around the same on, the upper surface of said bottom, or 'onthe' inner surface of the tank '12,. a valve seat 1-1- to co-act with a gravity valve 15 forthe purpose of admittingwater to Said tank.

.Located near the well or container, or at any suitable distance therefromfis a large reservoir 18 for holding compressed air, which may be supplied thereto by any suit; able means and in sufficient quantity for use for a ronsiderable length. of time Lead-.

' ing from this reservoir is a pipe 19 which .is

equipped with a pressure reducing valve 20 of the ordinary or anvwell know-n construe tion and communicates with" a valve casing 21 which forms part ofa larger 'ormaster' valve casing 22, which latter casing maybe mounted on a suitable support23 {located near or remote from the well or liquid conminer 10 and Supported a v"suitab1e-'- manner. The valve 21 has a port 16.1eading' to the casing 22, which portis surrounded'l by an upwardly extended valve sea'tj2 i for co-operation with avalve 25 the stem 26 of which is mounted'on a bar 27 hinged 01a loosely connected at one of its ends for vertical movement, for instance, to a screw 17 or other suitable projection depending from the upper surface of the valve casing 22 near one end thereof. The valve casing 22 is provided preferably on its upper surface near its end opposite the member 17 with an exhaust valve casing 28 which is provided with one or more ports 29 and has'vertically and slidably mounted therein a valve stem 30 which carries on its lower end a valve 31 to close the valve seat 32 of the casing 28.

Depending from the valve 31 is an extension 33 which is reduced towards its lower end and provided on said end with a head or enlargement 3} The bar 27 which cooper ates with the valve stem 26 is provided with an open. ended slot 35 at its free end for loose engagement with the reduced portion of the extension 33 of the exhaust valve. The upper end of the valve stem 30 is provided with a head36 and just below the head with an enlargement or projection 37 .between whichhead .and enlargement is located one end of a lever38 which is fulcrumed on the lower portion of the support 23 and is adapted to operate in a slot 39 in said support. That end of the lever 38 .interposed between the head 36 and enlargement 37 of the valve stem 30, is provided with an open ended slot 40 for the reception and operation of said valve stem.

Leading fromone end of the valve casing 22 is, a pipe 41' which is extended through the c0v.er 42 of the well or water container 10 and communicatesat its lower end with the upper end of the tank 12 to which end .of said tank it may be secured in such a manner as to assist in supporting the same. This last mentioned pipe is employed ,for conveying pressure from the master valve casing 22 to the tank l2, and may be fixed to the cover 42 of the water container in any suitable manner so as to assist .in supporting the said tank.

The upper portion of the support 23 is deflected as shown and has mounted on its upper end a bracket 43 on which is j ournaled a pulley 1 i over which is extended a cable 45 which supports at its lower end a rod 46 which has mounted thereon a weight Wand which rod extends into a vertically disposed guide 48 mounted ona bracket 49 with which the support23 is, provided at asuitable distance above its lower end. Slidably mounted on (the lower end of the rod 46 .is another weight 50 which is adapted for vertical movement inthe guide 48, and in order to restrict ts movement in one directlon with respect to the rod 46, saidrod is provided with an enlargement 51 on its lower end to engage the weight 50 when said rod is in its lowermost position asshown in Figs. 1 to inclusive of the drawings. The cable 45 is extended over. another pulley .52 journaled on a bracket supported on the upper portion of the support 23. That end of the cable 45 adjacent the pulley 52 has secured thereto at about its middle a cross-piece 5s from which depend a pair of connections 55 which are connected at their lower ends to a. cross-piece 56 in such a way that the connections 55 will stride the controlling cylinder 57 which is vertically mounted on the sup port 23 at a suitable point thereon; the cross-pieces 5 1 and 56 are disposed in parallelism with one another in such a manner that their path of travel will diametrically intersect the cylinder 57 in the operation of the apparatus. I

Extended from the upper end of the cylinder 57 is a pipe 58 which communicates at its lower end with a valve casing 59, which casing is in communication with the master valve casing 22 and is provided with a needle valve 60 for regulating the flow of compressed air from the casing 22 into the controlling cylinder. The pipe 58 is provided near said cylinder with a check valve 58 of any well known type.

Extended through the cover of the well or water container 10 is a service pipe 61 which maybe equipped with a branch pipe 62 and a faucet 63 for drawing water from the tank 12, into which the pipe 61 is extended to a point near the bottom .of said tank. This pipe 61 is also connected to the cover 42 and the top of the tank 12 so as to assist in supporting said tank. The upper end of the cylinder 57 has mounted thereon a valve casing 64 which is provided with a valve seat 65 for a needle valve 66 and with ports 67 and 68, the latter of which leads from the valve seat into said cylinder, while the port 67 communicates with the upper end of an exhaust pipe 69, the lower portion of which pipe is supported by a bracket 7 0 preferably mounted on the lower part of the support 23, and is provided with a pet cock 71 on the stem of which is secured one end of an arm 72 the other end of which is pivotally socured to the lower end of a link 73 the upper end of which link is loosely connected to the lever 38 below its fulcrum, which portion of said lever is located below and in the path of the travel of the weight 50 so that upon the downward movement of said weight the same will strike the foot 7-1 of the lever 38 and cause the same to be depressed as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, when the compressed fluidshall have been exhausted from the controlling cylinder. In this movement of the parts it is manifest that the exhaust valve in communication with the valve casing 22, will be closed and that at the same time, the inlet -or supply valve 25 for compressed air, will be opened and remain in such position .as long as the weight 50 remains in contact with the lever 38, and that when the parts are positioned as just above mentioned, the pet cook or valve '71" will be closed.

Mounted on a suitable bracket extended from the upper portion of the guide 48, is a diaphragm casingi which comprises 'a pair of concavo convex disks or members 76 and 77 which have their concave surfaces facing each other and are secured together in any suitable manner. Locatedbetween the members 76 and 77 is a diaphragm 78' of rubber or any other suitable flexible material which is held by the members ofthe diaphragm casing near its edges. Extended through a suitable opening in the mem ber 77 is a slidable rod 79 which by preference has .on its end adjacent the diaphragm an enlargement 80 to rest against said diaphragm. The opposite end of the rod 79 rests against an arm or plate 81 which is pivoted to the bracket 7 5 and extends downwardly therefrom and has at its lower end a rod 82 extended into an opening 83 in the wall of the guide 48 adjacent the diaphragm casing. Fixed at one of its ends to the lower portion of the member .81 isa rod 84 which is movably extended through a suitable opening in the lower portion of the diaphragm casing, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Surrounding the rod 84 and resting at one of its ends against the diaphragm casing on that surface thereof opposite the member 81, is a spring 85 the other end of which spring rests against a washer 86 loosely mounted on the rod 84 near its outer end,

which washer is held in constant contact with the spring 85 by means of an adjusting nut 87 threaded on the outer end of the rod 84 and employed forthe purpose of regulating the tension of the spring 85, thereby affording means for regulating the degree of pressure required withinthe diaphragm casing for operating the trip members 81 and 82, the functions of which will be presently explained.

Extending from the diaphragm casing or member 76 and communicating with its cavity, is one end of a pipe 88, the other end of which communicates with an expansion casing or chamber 89 which has communication with the upper portion of the service pipe 61 and may be supported in any suitable or well known way. The service pipe 61 is provided with a check valve 90 which is byv preference located externally of the water container. 1

Fulcrumed on one side of the bracket 49 which supports the guide 48 for the weight 50, is a gravity-actuated bell-crank-lever 91, the longer arm of which is provided with an outward extension 92 having an open ended slot 93 for the reception and operation of the piston rod 94. The shorter arm 95 of the lever 91 is provided with a hook 96 which is adapted, when the lever is moved in its raisedposition'.

by its gravity to'the p'ositionshown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to pass through a slot 97 inthe guide 48 and engage a notch or opening 98 in the sideof the weight 50 ad jacent said lever so as to hold the weight 50 opening 98 in the weight 50, said weight is provided with another opening 99 to register with the opening 83: in the guide 48 under certain conditions.

Directly opposite the,

92 of the lever 91 is extendedthrough a vertical slot 100 in :the support 23 just below the lower end of the controlling cylinder.

57, so that'the extension 92 on said lever will be in the path of the Cross-piece 56 and also in order that the open. slot 93 of said extension may receive the piston rod 94 of the cylinder, which piston rod has mounted thereon within the cylinder 57 a piston head 101 for, reciprocation in said cylinder.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings, it willbe readily understood and clearly seen, assuming the parts to be in the positions shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings, and that the needle valve- 60 which controls the flow of compressed fluid from the master valve casing 22, through the pipe 58 to the upper end of the cylinder 57, is adjusted so as to permit enough air pressure to be supplied to the controlling cylinder 57 to cause theipiston head 101 to be forced from the top of the i I cylinder to about the position shown in Fig. 4, during the time it takes for thewater to .be discharged or drawn off from the tank I 12, compressed air from the reservoir 18 will pass through the pipe 19 and pressure reducing valve 20, which valve maybe so adjusted as to permit a predetermined pres-v sure of air to pass through the pipe 19 to the valve casing 21 and from thence through the valve casing 22 and pipe 41 to. the tank or receptacle 12 located as above stated, within the wellor water container so as to be partly. sunken in the water, or? if desired, completely submerged therein. As the tank 12 is only partially filled with water, it is apparent that the space therein above the water will be filled with air, the

degree of pressure of which will be regulated by the reducing valve 50 as above v mentioned. This pres-sure within the tank 12 against the water in said tank is considerably greater thanthe atmospheric pressure on the main body of water in the well, I

and consequently, will force the water through the pipe 61 so as to be drawn 'olf through the faucet 63 when the latter is opened. I By the use of the needle valve 60, which as before stated controls the flowof compressed air from the valve casing 22 to the upper end of the controlling cylinder 57, it is manifest that as said valve is constantly open, pressure equalto that in the water receptacle 12 and the valve casing 22, will be supplied to the controlling cylinder against the piston head thereof, so as to cause said head and its rod to be moved downwardly, it being understood thatthe degree of said pressure being greater thapothe combined gravity of the weights 4'? and 50, will-cause.

said weights to be elevated from! the positions shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive until they reach about the positions shown by continuous lines in Fig. 4: of the drawings. In this operation, the upper end of the weight 50 being rounded, will contact with the trip pin 82 and hook 96 ot the member 81 and lever 91 respectively, thus causing said pin. and hook to be pressed outwardly of the casing 48 until the openings 98 and 99 in the weight 50 register with the opening 83 in the guide 48 when the said hook and pin will automatically engage the said openings in the weight and thus hold it in its elevated position as shown in Fig. 4- of the drawings. When the parts are in the positions shown in the last named figure, it is obvious that the pet cock will be opened for the exhaust of air from the cylinder 57 through the valve casing 64 and pipe 69, and that thus the pressure in the cylinder 57 will be reduced to such. an extent as to permit the weight 47 to descend to about the dotted line position" shown in Fig. 4:, at which time the. crosspiece 56 carried by the piston rod will strike the lever extension 92 thus causing the hook 96 to be disengaged from the weight 50. This last named weight will now be held by the trip pin 82 actuated by the diaphragm when the faucet 63 is opened for the withdrawal of water, which will reduce the pressure in the expansion chamber 89 and through the. pipe 88 in the diaphragm casing to such an extent as to permit the tension exerted by the spring to disengage the trip pin 82 from the weight 50, when. the same will automatically assume the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The modification shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings consists in employing pipe 46 for the weight i7 instead] of a rod s in the first described construction, and a. rod 46" for the weight 50, which rod is slidably mounted in the pipe 4:6 and has on its upper end within said pipe an enlargement 102 to engage a stop member 103 in the lower end of said pipe to restrict the movement of the weight 50 in one direction. Thus it will be seen that in the modified formjust above referred to, as well as in; the first described construction-of the means for connecting the weights, the operation thereof is similar and provides means for the independent movement of said weights.

By my improvements it is obvious that I have provided an apparatus in which all of the parts thereof which .may at any time require adjustment or repairing, are located outside of the well tor easy accessibility, which is of great importance. 1

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the. class described, the combination with a supply of compressed air, of a tank having communication with a supply of water, a valve for controlling the flow of Water into said tank, a. connection communicatably uniting said tank to said compressed air supply, valved means cooperating with said connection for delivering compressed air to said tank, and means also CO-OPGFd-llng with. said connection or controlling the flow of air from said tank, said last named means including an exhaust valve in said connection, a cylinder in communication at one of its ends with said connection, an adjustable needle valve to regulate the supply of air to said cylinder, a weight actuated piston head androd mounted. for reciprocation in said cylinder for cooperation with said exhaust valve to open the same when moved in one direction and to close said valve when actuated by weight in the opposite direction.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, thecombination with a. supply of compressed air, oi a tank having communication with a supply of water, a. valve tor controlling the flow of water intosaid tank, a. connection communicatably uniting said tank to said compressed air supply, valved means co -operating with said connection for delivering compressed air to S'fllld tank, and'meansalso cooperating with said connection for controlling the tlo-w of air from said tank, said last named means including an. exhaust valve in said connection, a cylinder in communication at one of its ends with. said connection, an adjustableneedle valve to regulate the supply of air to said cylinder, a. weight actuated piston head and rod mounted for reciprocation 111 said cylinderfor OOMOPQlfllZlOTl' with said exhaust valve to open the. same when. moved in. one direction and to close said valve when actuated by weight in the opposite direction, said delivery and controlling-meansbeing located externallyot the container of the said supply of water.

3. In an apparatus of the class described. the combination with a water container, of a tank sunken in the water thereof and having. a valve in its lower portion, a supply of compressed air, a connection communicatably uniting the same to said tank, a valved water delivery pipe leading from the tank, means operable by the pressure inthe tank for controlling the flow of air there from, said air controlling means including a master valve casing located externallyot said water container, an adjustable needle valve casing communicating with said master valve casing, an air inlet and exhaust Valve in the last named casing simultaneously operable, and means operable for opening the said exhaust valve and simultaneously closing said inlet valve by means of air pressure controlled by said needle valve.

4-. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a water container, of a tank sunken in the water thereof and having a valve in its lower portion, a supply of compressed air connected to said tank, a valved water delivery pipe leading from the tank, means operable by the pressure in the tank for controlling the fiow of air therefrom, said air controlling means including a suitably located master valve casing, an adjustable needle valve casing communicating with said master valve casing, an air inlet and exhaust valve in the last named casing simultaneously operable, and means operable for closing the exhaust valve and simultaneously opening said inlet valve.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a well of water, of a tank sunken in the water of said well and having a valve in its lower portion, a supply of compressed air, a suitably located valved casing having communication with the supply of compressed air, an air supply pipe leading from said casing to the said tank, a valved water and delivery pipe leading from the tank, a vertically supported cylinder located near said valved casing, an air pipe communicating with the upper end of said cylinder and With said valved casing, a needle valve casing controlling the flow of air through said pipe, a weight actuated piston located in said cylinder for reciprocatory movement and having a piston rod extended therefrom through one end of the cylinder, and an exhaust valve located in said casing and adapted to be unseated by the depression of the piston and its rod.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a water container, of a tank in said container and having a valve in its lower portion for the admission of cylinder and with the said valved casing,-

a needle valve controlling-the flow of air 1 through said pipe, a piston located in said cylinder for reciprocato-ry movement, a rod extended from the piston through one end of the cylinder, a cross-piece disposed on M said rod, connections extended from said cross-piece on opposite sides of the cylinder, another cross-piece uniting said connections at their-opposite ends from the first named cross-piece, a cable connected to the last named cross-piece, a pulley on the support of the cylinder for said cable, a guide on said support near one end of the cylinder,

a rod extended into said guide and connect- .ed at one of its ends to the cable, a, weight fixedly mounted on said rod and another weight slidably mounted with respect to the 'iirst named weight, "a bell crank lever mounted on the guide and having one of o its arms adapted to be extended into the path of the rod carried by the piston and its other arm adapted for extension into said guide and engagement with the slidable weight, an exhaust valve located in said valved casing and having its stem disposed in the path of the rod carried by the piston and one'of the cross-pieces 011 said rod, a diaphragm casing supported on said guide, a diaphragm within said casing, a plunger actuated by said diaphragmand extended through the casing thereof, a pivoted arm in contact with said plunger and having a trippin adapted toextend into said guide, a rod fixed at one end/to said arm and extended loosely through a portion of the diaphragm casing, a tensioning spring on the outer portion of said rod and a pipe connecting the diaphragm casing with said expansion chamber casing.

'- AUGUST F .1 HABENIGHT. 

